FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Police said they have apprehended a domestic violence suspect who escaped from custody and carjacked a victim after he was released from HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.
Ernest Lee Reese, 28, was captured in a Port St. Lucie neighborhood, not far from Treasure Coast High School, police told WPTV's Jon Shainman.
Police said Reese was caught by K-9 officers in a wooded area in the 3800 block of Southwest Daisy Street, hours after escaping from police custody.
Port St. Lucie police Officer Corey Krecic and K-9 Jackson found Reese in some brush behind a stretch of homes.
"He's done a lot. He's caught a lot of bad guys," Krecic said of his K-9. "A very successful dog. He's a great partner."
WATCH: K-9 officer credited with helping to nab suspect
Fort Pierce police said Reese escaped from custody at about 7:30 a.m. Monday.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Lt. James Grecco said Reese had been arrested shortly before 1 a.m. in connection with a domestic violence incident and was later taken to the hospital after complaining of a health-related issue.
WATCH: Fort Pierce police explain how suspect escaped from custody
Grecco said Reese was medically cleared but claimed to be feeling faint, so the officer got him some water and let him sit on the curb.
"The officer let him get too far away and he took off," Grecco said.
Grecco said Reese was handcuffed at the time.
"The officer lost sight of him after a short foot chase," Grecco said.
A short time later, Grecco said, Reese carjacked someone outside a doctor's office in the 1200 block of North Lawnwood Circle.
"There was a short vehicle pursuit," Grecco said, adding that police eventually called off the chase in the interest of public safety.
The car was located in the area of Northwest North Macedo Boulevard and Northwest St. James Drive. Grecco said the carjacking victim wasn't injured.
Port St. Lucie Assistant Police Chief Leo Niemczyk told Shainman that Reese was seen entering a nearby apartment complex.
"We were able to locate video in a nearby apartment complex of the suspect entering," he said in a telephone interview. "It was determined that he has a female acquaintance within that complex. Shortly after that, [a] vehicle belonging to the female acquaintance was seen leaving the complex. We presume that the suspect was most likely in that vehicle at the time, which is why the perimeter was broken down out here. Just a few minutes ago, the vehicle was stopped on Northwest St. Lucie West Boulevard. [The] suspect is not in the vehicle and she did admit to us that she dropped him off at another location in (the city)."
Port St. Lucie police initially said a prisoner had escaped from the hospital and carjacked a victim in the parking lot.
However, HCA Florida spokeswoman Rachel Mills said Reese had already been discharged from the hospital and that the carjacking took place off hospital property.
Reese faces several charges related to the escape, including aggravated battery, resisting an officer without violence, carjacking and possession of a weapon by a felon.
Fort Pierce police, Port St. Lucie police, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals were involved in the search.
